A conventional conveyance facility for suspended conveyance of articles is shown in European Patent No. 2117972. The conveyance facility shown in European Patent No. 2117972 includes a first conveyance lane causing carriers (conveyance unit) for the suspended conveyance of the articles, to travel along a conveyance path; and a branch conveyance lane and a second conveyance lane provided so as to branch from the first conveyance lane and causing the carriers to travel along the conveyance path. The first conveyance lane, the branch conveyance lane, and the second conveyance lane include a first guide rail, a branch guide rail, and a second guide rail, respectively. The first guide rail, the branch guide rail, and the second guide rail engage with a traveling roller (traveling body) of each of the carriers to cause the carrier to travel.
In the conveyance facility shown in European Patent No. 2117972, a switching device is provided at a branch portion between the first conveyance lane and the branch conveyance lane. The switching device switches the carrier from the first guide rail to the branch guide rail.
The switching device includes a guide band material for causing the carrier to travel along the first conveyance lane (first guide rail); and a diverter switch blade for causing the carrier to travel along the branch conveyance lane (branch guide rail). The switching device causes either one of the guide band material or the diverter switch blade to engage with the carrier. The switching device thereby causes the carrier to travel along the first guide rail or the branch guide rail.
However, in the conveyance facility shown in European Patent No. 2117972, if the carrier (conveyance unit) is caused to travel along the branch conveyance lane, the traveling roller (traveling body) of the carrier is engaged with the diverter switch blade of the switching device so as to direct the carrier to the branch guide rail. Accordingly, if the carrier bounces up or travels at high speed, the traveling roller is not sufficiently engaged with the diverter switch blade due to the traveling roller running off or the like. Consequently, the carrier is not reliably directed to the branch guide rail.